A Nice Summer Day
by NothingForMe
Summary: The title is a bit misleading. The general gist of the story is Percy dying of cancer and his last day. Side story is his unrequited love for Luke. Yeah, he's alive. Takes after the Titian War. A bit of melancholic tint to the whole thing. No such thing as transition in this. Character Death. Dash of Slash. First time so don't say I didn't warn ye.


First time so please be nice. Reviews are very welcome. Sorry for the sucky formatting. No idea how you do this.  
Also the story is super short. AND pretty abrupt ending. Just horrible plot overall.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Nope. Just butchering the characters of Rick Riordan for my own enjoyment. (I am confused on how this all works. But I really don't want to get sued for copyright issues. Hope this suffices.)

Warning: Minor cursing. Character Death. A bit of Slash. Some/A lot of gloomy stuff. Some OOC (Who am I kidding? ALOT of OOC)  
Bad Grammar. Too lazy to check it all over again.

Pairings: Kinda one sided Luke/Percy (You will see.) Annabeth/Luke ( Not too big on them though. Once again you will see.) Grover/Juniper  
I think that's all.

Let the story commence.

Luke held his breath and couldn't believe his eyes. The boy, so thin and pale, standing by the window, looking out to sea,couldn't possibly be Percy. Percy, the one with  
the unfailing and snarky humour and cheerful smile. But then what did he expected? Everything to be all fine? The Fates not to be bitches?  
Luke could feel Annabeth hold his hand more tightly. Percy turned to face them and a look of surprise crossed his face.

He said quietly, "So, you know."  
A surge of rage rose up within Luke and he glared at Percy.  
"That is all? That is all you could to say?"  
"Luke, please..."  
"How could you not tell me? DO I mean nothing to you?"  
Percy just smiled sadly and whispered something he couldn't catch.  
"Only too much."

Annabeth, ever the rational one, asked with a crack in her voice,"How much longer?"  
Percy answered with no inflection or emotion whatsoever, so different from his usual wearing-his-heart-on-his-sleeve persona,"The doctors tell me I would be lucky to have 3 more months."  
Then he smiled his familiar blinding smile.

"I gotta tell you, the gods are way more nice when you are dying. Just yesterday, Ares send me a sucky condolences card."  
Annabeth had a ghost of a smile on her lips but Luke felt the hatred that was lying dormant after the War flame up again. How dare they allow Percy, the effing savior and the most selfless person on earth suffer and die of a stupid cancer disease? How dare they? As if those jerks heard the mutiny, the sky darkened and begin to rain. Percy pouted and looked at him accusingly."Dude, could you not annoy them more than necessary?"

At that moment, Nico burst into the room and stopped in his tracks at the unexpected occupants. He began to retreat back again once he saw the ferocious face of one Luke Castellan.

"HE KNOWS?!"  
Hurt invaded him.  
Percy's eyes soften and Luke felt the feelings he didn't know was there.  
"I am sorry."  
"Why?" The question need no explanation.  
"Because, I don't want to ruin your happiness."  
Luke stared at him incredulously for a moment and laughed bitterly.  
"You idiot. You think we seriously don't care. That you mean so less to us. WE are you goddamned friends!" He finished with a shout.  
Luke had never been so open with his emotions but he couldn't care less. Stupid Percy was dying and there was nothing he could do. Except maybe kill Nico.  
Almost as Percy read his mind,he smiled softly and said,"Come on Luke, don't be like that. He is the son of Hades. He is bound to notice something ..." Percy trailed off when he realized the conversation is veering off to dangerous and explosive territory for Luke.  
"ANYWAY...I have an awesome plan regarding this afternoon." Nico interrupted with uncharacteristic cheer."Percy has been wanting to go to the beach outside his window for so long. So why not? I got all the stuff ready."

Percy's face brightened and he shouted enthusiastically,"YES! Come on guys. I been wanting to go to the ocean since like forever."  
Luke found his breath catching at the happy face of Percy and for just one moment, he could pretend that everything was alright and today was just a nice day in the beach with his friends.  
"Did you really get approval from the doctors? They had really chewed my head off when I had just gone outside to get some fresh air." Percy said exasperatingly.  
"Yeah, the doctors said you are looking pretty good this morning, which is almost like a yes from them."  
"So? What are we waiting for?" Percy dashed off into the bathroom, probably to change and the awkward atmosphere returned. No one knew what to say. Luke hadn't always gotten along with the son of Hades and he always seemed cold to him, more so now. Just a moment later, a disguised satyr burst through the door, invoking an almost deja vu feeling. He was treated to the same reaction as Nico and after all the niceties were sorted out, Percy conveniently emerged.

"What's up Grover, how's Juniper doing?"  
"Pretty okay but she's going through a strawberry phase and her nagging for me to go to Mr.D's pasture is going to get me killed or worst. Turned into a dolphin. "  
Percy laughed and Luke's mind mused distractedly...it is the most beautiful laug-Luke stopped himself from going further. He shouldn't be like this. He's with Annabeth now.

Percy was dressed in a nice casual long sleeved shirt, worn blue jeans, converses and his Half-Blood camp necklace. They went out the room and among the way, Percy was greeting almost all the personnel and patients. He is quite the charmer.

When Percy stepped out, and breathed in the salty air, something lifted from his face. The shadows retreated a bit and he no longer looked like the unhealthy boy waiting for Death.  
The afternoon was almost like a dream. The end was just as abrupt and unwelcome.

They all had fun. Splashing each other in Poseidon's realm. Indulging in the childhoods they never really had. Splurging on sweet cold ice cream and telling inane stories and basking in each other's presence. The metaphorical elephant was not mentioned. But the spirits of Nosoi came and ended the idyllic day. They were lazing in the sand and suddenly Percy collapsed. His friends rushed to his side. His face was pale and his chest was still.  
The wind of Boreas was always cold when he came.

The rush to the hospital was in a blur.

All of Annabeth's brains couldn't help her friend. She could only pray to her mother.  
Grover tried not to let the tears fall. He ignored the diminishing of the link and cursed Percy when the stupid boy was trying to sever it. He succeeded. Still to this day, his friend was full of miracles. Maybe just one more.  
Nico had never wished so hard. Please, don't let Thanatos come. Don't let him collect his friend's soul from his mortal body. Let him remain in this realm. Just a bit longer. Maybe then I can let him go. Please father. I ask you only this.  
Luke never felt more afraid in his life. He held Percy's body tightly and slashed the air with his sword. He stepped through the rip in space and arrived in the hospital foyer. No one questioned him. There was only beeping alarms and shouts of medical gibberish. Only the pounding of his heart and the leaving of Elpis.

His mother was called and all his friends came. The doctor with his sad face and his sad news. I am sorry madam but nothing can be done. He will be lucid before he goes. It won't be long now. Nothing can comfort the grieving mother.  
They all sat around him waiting. Everyone with their eyes desperately on the machine and on his slowly falling and rising chest. They could feel the gods there. But no one can care less. They all foolishly thought that the Olympus hero Percy Jackson couldn't be felled. He was bigger than life and he always survived. All the quests, all the monsters and all the titians. But not the sickness it seems. 

Luke hid in the shadows. The life that the Fates had snipped in the beginning of all this should have been his. Not Percy's. Luke was not worthy of all that life have to offer.  
Just before Apollo's chariot came, Percy woke. He looked around the room with a clear glance and smiled his heartbreaking smile. His words were spoken softly but the occupants of the room were listening so carefully, nothing was missed.

"Thank you. Please don't grieve. I will be waiting with my blue food."  
Then with a peaceful look he slipped away. All the mourners were left.


End file.
